A year ago we were in the midst of the massive Armor will remain the centerpiece of future mobile buildup in Saudi Arabia, dubbed Operation DESERT combined arms operations, and the centerpiece of SHIELD. The subsequent battle of annihilation Armor will be, as today, the armor crewman and placed Operation DESERT STORM in the history cavalry scout. The Chief of Armor’s look down the books and smote the Babylon lion with the most road will conclude with part II in the November-De- thorough thrashing those books have ever de- cember issue. scribed. We didn’t expect so much as a meow to come from the banks of the Tigris for a long time to I commend to you the article, “Bravo Company come. Goes to War.” SSG Jeffrey Dacus, USMCR, tells the story of B Company, 4th Marine Tank Battalion, Yet, as this issue goes to press, it seems apparent which activated for the Persian Gulf, deployed, trans- that Saddam’s lessons learned task force has failed itioned from M6OAls to MIAls, then fought its way its mission, because he has once again gotten to Kuwait City. Not only is this a great commenda- everyone’s attention by hindering the UN inspection tion for the Marine Corps Reserve tankers who com- teams. Not a smart move, but consider the source. prise B Company, but it is a screaming endorsement How then can we assume that DESERT STORM of the MIA1 MBT -that a group of farmers, plumb- lessons reached other potential regional ers, and teachers can learn a new tank weeks or threatmongers? We can’t, which is why we must days before fighting it in combat. think in terms of the mythological Roman god, Janus, with one face firmly on the past, while the Do not overlook the remainder of the issue. CPT other gazes steadfastly toward the future. We must A.A. Puryear and LT Gerald Haywood narrate the not forget the lessons of the past, yet we cannot fall events of 213 ACR‘s hasty attack on the Ar into the trap of preparing to fight the next war as we Rumaylah Airfield; 1LT Charles Gameros provides fought the last. Armies tend to do both at different an insightful analyses of HMMWVs vs. Bradleys, and times, with soldiers paying the bills. which is better for different scout missions; 1LT John Hyatt sends us his views on the scout use of LAV- This issue attempts to fulfill the image of Janus. 25s; MAJ John Faulconbridge discusses the com- Major James M. Milano digs back to WWI and WWll pany XO’s role in tactical operations; and former to see how Erwin Rommel took lessons from his Armor Branch Chief COL Stephen E. Wilson lays the WWI command experience at the small unit level personnel and assignment cards on the table in “Ru- and applied them on a much grander level in North minations of a Branch Chief.” Don’t miss this import- Africa in WWII. ant article. This issue’s other face is embodied in the Chief of Finally, we salute the 5th Armored Division on its Armor’s “Commander’s Hatch” column, which im- 50th Anniversary. Some 46 years ago, the soldiers parts MG Foley’s vision of our branch beyond the of the “Victory Division” were the first to break onto turn of the century. Once you consider the possibili- German soil. ties, the concepts are at once startling and exciting. - PJC By Order of the Secretary of the Army: Olficial: GORDON R. SULLIVAN PATRICIA P. HICKERSON General, United States Army Brigadier General, United States Army Chief of Staff The Adjutant General The Professional Development Bulletin of the Armor Branch PB- 17-91-5 Editor-in-Chief Features MAJOR(P) PATRICK J. COONEY 9 Bravo Company Goes to War Managing Editor by Staff Sergeant Jeffrey R. Dacus, USMCR JON T. CLEMENS 16 Ar Rumaylah Airfield Succumbs To Hasty Attack Commandant by Captain A. A. Putyear and Lieutenant Gerald R. Haywood, II MG THOMAS C. FOLEY 21 Scout HMMWVs and Bradley CFVs: Gulf War Provides a Comparison of Scout Vehicles and MTOEs ARMOR (ISSN 0004-2420) is published bimonthly by the US. Army Armor Center, 4401 by First Lieutenant (P) Charles W. Gameros, Jr. Vine Grove Road, Fort Knox, KY 401 21. 26 How Rommel Applied Lessons Learned in WWI Disclaimer: The information contained in To His Afrika Korps Operations in WWll ARMOR represents the professional opinions of by Major James M. Milano the authors and does not necessarily reflect the official Army or TRADOC position, nor does it 30 5th AD, the "Victory Division," change or supersede any information presented Was First to Fight on German Soil in other official Army publications. Official distribution is limited to one copy for 32 The LAV-25 in the Scout Role each armored brigade headquarters, armored by First Lieutenant (P) John Alan Hyatt cavalry regiment headquarters, armor battalion headquarters, armored cavalry squadron head- 34 The Mk 19 MOD 3 Grenade Machine Gun on the M1 and A113 quarters, reconnaissance squadron head- by Captain Andrew Harvey and Sergeant First Class Robert Firkins quarters, armored cavalry troop, armor company, and motorized brigade headquarters of the 36 The Company XO's Role In Tactical Operations United States Army. In addition, Army libraries, by Major John W. Faulconbridge Army and DOD schools, HQ DA and MACOM staff agencies with responsibility for armored, 38 The Soul of Armor (Poem) direct fire, ground combat systems, by Captain Gregory M. Smith organizations. and the training of personnel for such organizations may request two copies by 39 The Muzzle Boresight Device, Where Have We Gone? sending a military letter to the editor-in-chief. by Staff Sergeant Michael G. Cover Authorized Content: ARMOR will print only 41 Ruminations of a Branch Chief those materials for which the U.S. Army Armor by Colonel Stephen E. Wilson Center has proponency. That proponency includes: all armored, direct-fire ground combat systems that do not serve primarily as infantry Departments carriers; all weapons used exclusively in these systems or by CMF 19-series enlisted soldiers; 2 Letters any miscellaneous items of equipment which 2 Contacts armor and armored cavalry organizations use exclusively; training for all SC 12A, 126, and 3 Commander's Hatch 12C officers and for all CMF-19-series enlisted 7 Driver's Seat soldiers; and information concerning the training, 50 Bustle Rack logistics, history, and leadership of armor and 52 Books armored cavalry units at the brigaddregiment level and below, to indude Threat units at those levels. Material may be reprinted, provided credit is given to ARMOR and to the author, except where copyright is indicated. September-October 1991, Vol. C No. 5 lots and mwmembers were not simihrly Let's Bring Consistency recognized when involved in the very same NCO Career Progresslon: fire fights and exposed similar dangers. To Combat Badge Awards to How It's Supposed to Work I've served both as an aviation battalion Dear Sir: commander and an armor battalion com- Dear sir: Having served in Vitnam as an OH4 mander and wear the Master Aviator In the July-August 1991 issue of ARMOR, aerial scout platoon commander involved Badge with pride. However, wearing a SFC Wells wrote a letter discussing his with cavalry operations, I would support combat branch badge similar to my infanby concern about career progression of mas- combat badges for the combat arms comrades-in-arms would be suitable and ter gunners. Specifically, SFC Wells feels branches similar to the Combat lnfanby deserving recognition for combat veteran that master gunners are disadvantaged Badge. aviators, tankers, and cavalrymen. when considered for promotion to master sergeant, because their specialized training In mOse air cavalry squadrons, infantry- CHARLES R. RAYL and unique career patterns often preclude men of the aerial rifle platoon were COL, Kansas ARNG them serving as platoon sergeants. His awarded the CIB. Air cavalry scouts and Troop Command Commander the air cavalry gunner and life platoon pi- Wichita, Kan. Continued on Page 51 ARMOR Editorial Offices US. ARMY ARMOR SCHOOL Editor-in-Cbief Commandant (ATZK-CG) Major (P) Patrick J. Cooney 2249 MG Thomas C. Foley 2121 Managing Editor Assistant Commandant (ATSB-AC) Jon T. Clemens 2249 BG James L. Noles 7555 Editorial Assistant Vivian Thompson 2610 Deputy Assistant Commandant (ATSB-DAC) Production Assistant COL Dwight A. Beck 1050 Mary 2610 Command Sergeant Major Contributing Artist CSM Jake Fryer 4952 SPC Jody Harmon 2610 Maintenance Department (ATS B-MA) COL Phares E. Noyes 8346 MAILING ADDRESS: ARMOR ATTN: ATSB-AM, Fort Knob KY 40121-5210. Command and Staff Department (ATSB-CS) COL J. W. Thurman 5855 ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS: To improve speed and accu- racy in editing, manuscripts should be originals or clear copies, either Weapons Department (ATSB-WP) typed or printed out double-spaced in near-letterquality printer mode. COL E. G. Fish II 1055 We also accept stories on 5-1/4" floppy disks in Multihhate. Directorate of Training Developments (ATSB-TD) Wordstar, MicdWORD, WordPerfect. XyWrite. Xerox Writer, COL Joseph D. Molinari 7250 and ASCII (please include a double-spaced printout). Please tap cap- tions to any illustrations suhnitted. Directorate of Combat Developments (ATSB-CD) COL Edward A. 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